Apparatus for dyeing and the like.



J. J. TRACY.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I2. 1914. 1,174,912. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEETI a a wm THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. J. TRACY.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1914.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 I Tin-{v- THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0, WASHINGTON. n. c.

are a @FFICE.

APPARATUS FOR DYEINGr AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. *2, 1916.

Application filed March .12, 1914. Serial No. 824,126.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs J. TRACY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahcga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Dyeing and the like, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements relate, as indicated, to apparatus intended for use in dyeing operations and the like, the apparatus being intended for use in suitably handling a container or cage adapted to 1 receive the materials to be dyed or otherwise treated in a vat or tub. In dyeing,

washing, or bleaching operations. and in analogous situations, it is desirable either that the material be moved about in the solution to secure a complete and thorough treatment of all parts of the material, or

' that the solution be forced through the material. The present machine has been designed primarily for operation along the first-named lines, namely, by moving the material about in the solution, although it also secures a certain movement of the solution in and about the containerwhich matcelrially assists in securing the results desire A further object of the invention is the provision of an eilicient apparatus involving the use of a number of vats each being adapted to receive a suitable container to.-

gether with means for simultaneously operating all of any desired number of such containers in the vats. Particular attention has also been paid to the construction of the 'container,'and the forms here illustrated are particularly eflicient in'securing a thorough action of the solution upon all parts of the material. the containers being provided with ..means which prevent the bunching of the material therein and cause the material to move loosely about in the container during movement of the same. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends. said invention. then, consists of the means-hereinafter fully described and particularly,

pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present apparatus; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one form of the container or cage; Fig. L is a side elevaticn of the same; Fig. 5 is a plan View indicating diagrammatically one arrangement of the partitions in such container; Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the looking clasp for the cover of the container; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views similar to Fig. 5, showing various modified forms of containers.

It will be understood that any desired number of vats may be used, although I have here illustrated but three of these elements. In Figs. 1 and 2 there are shown three alined vats 1, 2 and 3, such vats being preferably of cylindrical form and being vertically disposed. Connected to the interior of each of said vats are water and steam supply pipes 4 and 5 for the purpose of supplying the solution to the vats and for the purpose of heating the same. In each of such vats there may be placed a container in the form of an open cage or basket 6 such as is best shown in Figs.-3 and 4. This container 6 is preferably provided with an open frame 7 covered with foraminous macovering may be of either wood or metal,

depending usually uponthe operation to be carried on in the apparatus, and may. be a wire screen or perforated metal plate, or in other cases may consist of spaced Wooden slats. The frame of thecontainer 6 includes two vertical diametricallv opposite uprights 8, to the centers of which are pivotallv attached the ends of the loop or bail 9 which passes up over the top of the container. To the top of this bail 9 thereis attached a U loop 10 which is adapted to be engaged by a hoist 11 mounted upon a suitable trolley or trackway 12 disposed above the alined vats. By means of this mechanism it is possible to conveniently remove the containers from the vats and to transport the same from one vat to another.

Loosely mounted aboutthe sides of the bail container is shown without 9 are-U-shaped clips 13 which are adapted when pressed against the bail to extend past the sides of the upright, thus locking the bail in the position shown in Fig. 3. These clips are removably heldin this position by means of bolts or set-screws 14C. The container'is'provided with a horizontally disposed partition 15, of coarse wire or slmilar material, thus dividing the container into two compartments or chambers 16 and 17.. In this way it is possible to treat a greater amount of material than can be efliciently treated in a single compartment container of equal volume, since the material is now separated into two parts and does not bunch up and prevent a thorough contact of the solution with all parts of the material. The

tached to the inside of one of the frame members of the container and is adapted to receive therein the edge strand 41 of the cover, when the latter is closed. Alined V apertures are formed in the two sides of the channel and in the upright of the container frame and through these apertures is passed a clasp 42 which'is preferably made of resilient wire and serves to main-- tain the cover in its closed position.

Thespecific construction of the aforesaid container forms the subiect matter of a separate application filed February 7, 1 916',"Serial No. 76.510, claims to this feature of the apparatus having been required to be divided out of the present case.

I Disposed about the upper or open end of each vat are circular tracks 19 mounted con- .centrically with respect to the vats, such tracks being adapted to support rollers 20' carried in two laterally extending arms 21 attached to .the bail 9 or upper portion of the framework 7 of each container; These arms can readily be attached to the sides of the bail by rivets 43 (see Fig. 4) or in some In Fig. 3 the other equally simple manner.

the arms 21. The construction and disposition of these arms can best be seen in Fig. 2, and it will be noticed that the end of each arm is provided with a slot 22 the disposition of which is substantially radial with respect to the container and vat. Vhen the container 6 is lowered into the vat by the hoist 11 it is placed in such position that the rollers 20 on'the arms 21 engage thetrack 19 about the vat, the container thereupon being supported from such track and being freely rotatable within the vat but without the necessity of providing any support within the solution itself. l

Disposed along either side of such alined vats are trackways or guides 23 mounted upon suitable standards 24 at substantially the elevation of the top of the vat. Reciprocably mounted in these guides 23 are members 25 provided adjacent to each vat with an upstanding pin 26, such pin loosely engaging in the slot 22 in the end of each arm 20. These members 25 are reciprocat ed in opposite directions simultaneously and the effect of this operation upon the containers in the vats will be readily apparent, the containers being oscillated through .a distance equal to the travel ofthe reciprocating members 25 which are driven by suitable connecting rods 40 attached to cranks 27 driven by 'a'transversely disposed shaft 28 which in turn may be driven by any suitable means,

there being here shown a second transverse shaft 29 which will preferably be operated from an electric motor or by means ofxa belt and pulley from some suitable source of power. Any other suitable drivingmechanism may obviously be employed for reciprocating the members 25. This oscillatory movement which is given to the containers 6 causes the solution-in the vats to move through and around the material held 1n the containers, and this action is increased 7 by the provision in each container of'a vertical solid partition 30 such as is shown in- Fig. 4. During the oscillatory motion of the container this partition acts to stir up the solution,

producing currents therein 'which cause the liquid to pass through all parts of the container and to thus reach and treat all of the material held therein. The precise construction and disposition of this transverse vertical partition is of'relative unimportance, and it may be formed as shown 1n Fig. 5 where two short partitions 31 extend radially mwardrfrom diametrically opposite points of the container, while" a centralpartition 32 is disposedat right angles to the two short partitions 31. V Similarly, the construction shown in Fig. 7 may v be used. in which two vertical partitions 82' are used, one extending from the bottom of the container to the horizontal partition, and the other extending from the horizontal partition to the cover and being disposed at an angle. preferably a right'an'g'le, to the lower, partition. of the liquid through the container may be had by. providing curved tangentially ex-v tendmg'fins or vanes 35 about the circum- Such a construe-- ference of the container. tion is shown in Fig. 8, while in Fig. '9 a modification of the same is illustrated, there b ing n this te v yp a vertically. disposed An increased movement circular wire cylinder 36 in the center of the container, and there being two inwardly extending curved solid vanes 37 attached to the inside of such wire cylinder.

It will be understood that at any time one of the containers 6 may be removed from its vat by means of the hoist l1, and transported to another vat or the material therein removed for drying. Any desired number of containers may be operating simultaneously, each being given the same oscillatory movement and each vat producing the desired dyeing or washing effect, upon the material therein, thus providing a uniform treatment of the material in each of the vats through a given length of time, although of course in dyeing cloth certain colors a longer treatment is necessary in some cases, and at such times the containers may be oscillated in the vats during a longer period.

By means of the solid partitions disposed in the various ways in the containers a certain movement of the cloth with respect to the liquid is secured. Without the use of such vertical partitions the material in the solution would tend to move with the solution, and there would be little. if any, movement of one relative to the other. It is, of course, highly desirable to provide a certain amount of movement of either the solution through the cloth or the cloth through the solution, and this is secured by means of these partitions. Upon movement in one di ection the partition forces the solution before it, a certain amount of this solution tending to move toward the wall of the container. The material, on the other hand, is not moved as rapidly as the solution and tends, by reason of its own inertia, to move slower than the solution, thus causing a relative movement between the two. Similarly the fins or vanes attached to the container operate to drive into the center of the same, during movement in one direction, a certain amount of liquid which, upon reverse movement, flows out between the vanes thus causing an internal circulation in the container, which is of great value in producing an even effect of the treatment upon the material held therein.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats, a container removably supported in each of said vats, and operating means adapted to detachably engage each of said containers and oscillate the same about a vertical axis.

2. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats, a container removably and oscillatorily supported in each of said vats, and members disposed on either side of said vats and reciprocating in opposite directic'ns, said containers being loosely connected to said members, and being oscillated by the movement of the same.

3. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats, a container'removably and oscillatorily supported in each of said vats, parallel members mounted on either side of said alined vats and reciproeating in opposite directions, and means loosely connecting said containers to said members, whereby said containers are oscillated by such movement of said members.

4. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats, a container removably and oscillatorily supported in each of said vats, parallel members mounted on either side of said alined vats and reciprocating in opposite directions, said members being provided with pins disposed opposite each of said vats, and laterally extending arms attached to said containers, said arms being provided with slcts adapted to receive such pins, whereby said containers are oscillated by such movement of said containers 5. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats. a circular track disposed about each of said vats, a container removably received in each of said vats, said containers being rotatably supported upon said tracks. and operating means adapted to detachably engage said containers and oscillate the same.

6. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a plurality of alined vats, a circular track disposed about each of said vats. a container removably received in each of said vats, said container being provided with laterally extending arms bearing rollers resting on said track, said arms having slots therein, parallel members mounted cn either side of said alined vats and reciprocating in opposite directions, and pins mounted on said members opposite said vats, said pins being loosely engaged in such slots, whereby said containers are oscillated by such movement of said members.

7. In a dyeing machine, the combination of a vat, a foraminous container oscillatorily supported therein. and a partition in said container disposed at right angles to the plane of oscillatory movement of said container.

8. In a dyeing machine. the combination of a vat, a foraminous cylindrical container oscillatorily supported in said vat to oscillate about a vertical axis, and a vertical partition mounted in said container.

9. In a dyeing machine, the combination of av cylindrical vat, a foraminous cylindrical container oscillatorily supported in said a container supported from said track and, received in said vat, said container being out of contact with said vat, and operating 15 means adapted to detachably engage said container and oscillate the same in said vat.

Signed by me, this 9th day of March, 1914:.

JAMES J. TRACY, 1 Attested byi i D. T. DAVIES, JNO. F. OBERLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

